Q&A Section – Can I put organizational/study skills in my 9 year old son’s IEP?

Question: Can I put organizational/study skills in my sons IEP? Also, how do I find a support group?

Answer:

We frequently get asked what qualifies for IEP goals. In order to answer this clearly you must have an understanding of the meaning of “school accommodations and modifications” according to IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Please read http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.accoms.mods.pdf.

To find a support group for your autistic child or for you as the caregiver I recommend www.meetup.com, or checking Facebook Groups. You can call or email your local Parent Advocacy Center or visit http://nichcy.org/org-gateway. I personally joined a group of moms on meetup.com that had children with sensory issues when my daughter was young.

Also, have you joined www.MyAutismTeam.com? It is an online community for people to support and share information.

I hope these are helpful. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with. Good luck.

Leslie Burby

Leslie Burby is the former Editor-in-Chief of Autism Parenting Magazine and a public speaker on autism related issues. She is the author of three autism related books: Emotional Mastery for Adult's with Autism (2013); Early Signs of Autism in Toddlers, Infants and Babies (2014); and the children's book Grace Figures Out School (2014).

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I would further suggest that you take #6 and #11 and break them into pieces that are more concrete. Example: (child) will write down homework assignments in planner every day. You could make a list of some specific study skills he is missing and relate them to that overall goal. A good sped teacher or speech pathologist should be able to help you with the goals.